Strut for brake-beams



(No Model.)

C.A T. SCHOEN. VSTRUT POR BRAKE BBAMS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. SCIIOEN, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

STRUT FOR BRAKE-BEAMS.I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,830, dated February 16, 1892. Application led December 26, 1891. Serial No. 416,220. (No model.)

To all whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. ScHoEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania,haveinventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Struts for Brake- Beams 4for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved form of strut for brake-beams, and more especially for the brake-beam forming the subject of my patent, N o. 464,781, dated December 8, 1891, for pressed-steel brake-beams and shoeheads for railway-cars; and the object of the invention is to provide a strut that may be used for right or left beams without revers ing and that may be set at any angle to receive the brake-lever.

In practicing my invention the preferred manner is to forge a strut with a slot to receive the brake-lever and having one end to fit the tension member and the other end drawn outand screw-threaded, so as to be applied by nuts to the compression member.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in thev several views of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is a plan view of portion of my diamondshaped pressed-steel brake-beam, showing a shoe-head and shoe in position. Fig. 2 is an elevation, and Fig. 3 is an elevation of the strut, showing also the cross-sections of the compression and tension members.

The lettera designates the compression member, b the tensile or tension member, c the shoe-head, d the shoe, and e the hangerlink, all of which may beV of any preferred construction, the drawingsshowing substantially the same beam shown in my patent referred to.

f is the strut or king-post, which is pro duced, preferably, by forging, and has the tlattened butt g to fit the tension member,to which it may be secured by the eyebolt 7L, which eyebolt may be further utilized for suspend` ing the brake-beam. The slot t' is formed in the strut to receive the brake-lever, the strut being pierced transversely at j to receive the levers pin. Instead of drawing out flat the upper end and slitting it to secure it to the compression member, as in the patent referred to, I draw it out square and round and screwthread this end, as at k. This screw-threaded end I supply with a nut Z to bear. against the inner side of the compression member, and pass the remainder through a hole in the compression member and apply thereto a Washer m and nut n, securely to bind them together.

The advantage of this construction of strut is that the. strut can be set at any angle Without trouble, and as different railroads adopt different ways of setting their brake-beani levers it is a matter of considerable importance to have the strut adjustable to meet their requirements, and this is accomplished by my strut. Then, too, it is of great advantage in that it avoids making right and left hand struts, all the struts being made alike and being capable of being set at any angle desired, a matter of economy in the repair stock as well. l

l. Astrutforbrake-beams,constructed with a butt-end adapted to be applied to the tension member and a rounded and screw-threaded end adapted to be applied to the compression member and an intermediate slot to receive the brake-lever, the said strut being rotatable upon its .longer axis between the tension and compression members of the brake-beam, thereby to receive the brake-beam at any desired angle, substantially as described.

2. An adjustable strut for brakebeams, slotted between its ends to receive the brakelever and having a butt-end and its other end rounded and screw-threaded, combined with a tension member to which the butt is applied and a compression member with which the strut is connected by passing its screw-threaded end through it and applying nuts to the strut inside and outside of said compression member, substantially as described. I

VIn testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of December, A. D. 1891.

CHARLES T. SCHOEN.. Witnesses:

M. H. MCLANAHAN, I. N. BUCHANAN. 

